Apparatus for plugging holes in bowling balls

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus for plugging holes in a bowling ball in which a cover member having an opening and a peripheral lip substantially conforming to the curvature of a bowling ball is adhesively attached to the bowling ball over the hole to be filled. Suitable liquid plugging material is inserted into the hole through the opening in the cover member so as to substantially fill the hole and the cavity defined by the cover member. The opening in the cover member is angularly elongated to prevent leakage of plugging material while maintaining the bowling ball in a position necessary for the plugging of all of the holes therein. After the plugging material has hardened, the cover member and the protuberant portion of the hardened plugging material are removed.

United States Patent [191 Bowman APPARATUS FOR PLUGGING HOLES IN BOWLING BALLS [76] Inventor: Grover L. Bowman, P.O. Box 84,

Bayside, Calif. 95524 22 Filed: May 10, 1973 21 Appl.N0.:359,042

Related U.S. Application Data [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 173,753, Aug. 23, 1971,

1 1 ,lan.7,1975

3,633,866 l/l972 Funk 249/83 X Primary Examiner-Richard B. Lazarus Attorney, Agent, or FirmTownsend and Townsend [57] ABSTRACT A method and apparatus for plugging holes in a bowl ing ball in which a cover member having an opening and a peripheral lip substantially conforming to the curvature of a bowling ball is adhesively attached to the bowling ball over the hole to be filled. Suitable liquid plugging material is inserted :into the hole through the opening in the cover member so as to substantially fill the hole and the cavity defined by the cover mem her. The opening in the cover member is angularly elongated to prevent leakage of plugging material while maintaining the bowling ball in a position neces sary for the plugging of all of the holes therein. After the plugging material has hardened, the cover member and the protuberant portion of the hardened plugging material are removed.

9 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJAN' 1197s 3.858.839

INXI ENTOR.

GRQVER L. BOWMAN ATTORNE S APPARATUS FOR PLUGGING HOLES IN BOWLING BALLS This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 173,753, filed Aug. 23, 1971 now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to bowling balls, and more particularly to an improved method and apparatus for the plugging of the holes therein for their relocation.

It is often desirable to plug or fill one or more of the existing holes in a bowling ball. This may be necessitated by the deterioration of such holes due to wear, or a desire to alter the size of, or the spacing between, such holes.

A conventional procedure for plugging holes in a bowling ball involves first filling one hole to be plugged with a suitable liquid plastic plugging material, such as epoxy or acrylic resins, which thereafter sets or hardens. In order to insure that the hole is completely filled according to this procedure, a clay dam is constructed around the hole prior to the filling of the hole with the plastic material. With the ball oriented so that the axis of the hole to be filled is aligned in a vertical direction, the liquid plastic material is then poured into the hole in sufficient quantity to completely fill the hole and a portion of the area defined by the clay darn. it is essential to maintain the ball in this position until such time as the plastic material has hardened, i.e., to prevent the plastic material from spilling over the edge of the clay darn.

Since the plastic material employed typically requires many hours to harden, the bowling ball must be maintained in this position for a substantial period of time. it is not possible to plug more than one hole at the same time, due to the spherical contour of the bowling ball and the necessity of maintaining the axis of each hole in vertical alignment to retain the liquid plastic material within the darn. Specifically, the rotation of the bowling ball required to vertically align a subsequent hole to be filled will cause the previously filled hole to be sufficiently misaligned from vertical to cause the spillage of the plugging material therein. For this reason, plugging more than one hole in a bowling ball according to this procedure requires a considerable amount of time, as more than one hardening time interval is necessary.

It has also been found that attempts to completely enclose the area above the hole, such as disclosed in copending US. Pat. Application Ser. No. 37,612, filed May 15, 1970, have not been entirely satisfactory. With plastic plugging material commonly employed, gases are evolved which result in formation of a void at the surface of the balls.

It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for the plugging of a hole in a bowling ball in such a manner that the bowling ball need not be maintained in a position in which the plugged hole is vertically aligned while the plugging material is hardening.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for substantially simultaneously plugging more than one hole of a bowling ball.

Yet another object of the present invention is to .provide a method and apparatus for plugging a hole in a bowling ball in such a manner than the leakage of liquid plugging material is substantially eliminated.

In accordance with the present invention, a cover member having an opening therein is attached, such as by adhesive, to the surface of the bowling ball over the hole to be plugged. The opening communicates with an elongated funnel extending upwardly from the surface. Liquid plugging material is inserted into the funnel attached to the cover member in sufficient quantity to fill both the hole and all of the cavity defined between the cover member and the ball surface, the plastic material normally filling a portion of the funnel. The funnel is constructed to be sufficiently angularly disposed to the cover member so that the ball may be rotated to allow for the complete plugging of another hole without spillage of the plugging material. When the plugging material has hardened, the cover member or members and the protuberant portions of the hardened plugging material are removed. In this manner, the hole(s) in the bowling ball will have been plugged within a minimum time interval.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention wherein reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary vertical section view; and

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a cover member.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a bowling ball 10 having two holes or finger grips l2 and 14 indicated. The present invention will now be discussed with reference to the plugging of hole 12.

A bowling ball plugging aid or cover member, shown generally at 16, is provided with a peripheral lip portion 18 which conforms substantially to the curvature of a bowling ball. Cover member 16 has an aperture 20 communicating with tube 22 angularly disposed with respect to member 16 and shaped as an inverted truncated cone. The tube serves as a funnel for introduction of the plugging plastic material. Central portion 24 is somewhat more convex than the surface of a bowling ball, so that a cavity will be defined therebetween when lip portion 18 is in contact with the surface of bowling ball llil. Cover member 16 also includes a neck portion 26 defining the aperture in central portion 24.

In operation, lip portion 18 of cover member 16 is adhesively attached to bowling ball 10 by a layer of adhesive 28 with the neck portion 26 of cover member 16 eccentric with respect to hole 14. In order to facilitate this attachment, cover member 116 may be fabricated from a transparent material, such as a clear plastic. The adhesive 24 can be a rapid setting adhesive so that cover member to will be secured to bowling ball 10 within a minimum period of time, but is preferably a pressure sensitive adhesive. In this manner, paper or plastic sheets 30 and 32 may be used to protect the adhesive 24 prior to use. When the cover member 116 is to be used, the protective sheets 3'0 and 32 are stripped from the adhesive and the cover member 16 pressed firmly against the surface of the bowling ball l0.

Suitable conventional liquid bowling ball plugging material 34, such as epoxy or acrylic resins, is then introduced into hole 14 through tube 22 of cover member 16, in sufficient quantity to substantially fill hole 16 and the cavity defined by cover member 16 and extend up into the tube 22 to level 36. Level 36 is such that when the bowling ball 10 is rotated to position hole 112 for filling, none of the plugging material will spill. The axis of tube 22 forms an acute angle with the axis of hole 14 when the cover member 16 is affixed to bowling ball 10. More particularly, the axis of tube 22 is at an angle of up to 60 with a radius of ball 10. Preferably, to avoid any spillage of plugging material 34, the angle is about 15-45. Stated another way, the angle of the tube 22 is sufficient to allow the three conventional holes of a bowling ball to be filled simultaneously. While not shown in the drawing one of the cover members extends over two holes, so that both holes can be filled simultaneously. However, the same procedure is employed whether one or two holes are being filled.

After plugging material 34 has hardened, cover member 16 may be non-destructively removed from the bowling ball 10, and that portion of plugging material 34 which protrudes above the contour of bowling ball may be ground, sanded or otherwise removed to an appropriate level which conforms with the surface contour of bowling ball 10. Alternatively, cover member 16 need not be removed, but can be ground or sanded off simultaneously with the protuberant portion of plugging material 34, if cover member 16 has become bonded to the plugging material.

As already indicated, a single cover member may be used to fill two holes simultaneously. A bowling ball plugging aid or cover member 40, similar to cover member 16 previously described, is suitably shaped to cover two holes in close proximity on a bowling ball. The cover member 40 is somewhat elongated so as to particularly adapt it to cover two holes in close proximity. In particular, the cover member 40 includes peripheral lip portion 42 suitably shaped to conform to the curvature of a bowling ball, and of suitable size and shape to cover two holes in close proximity, as are often found in conventional bowling balls. The cover member also includes central portion 44, neck portion 46 eccentric of the center being close to one of the elongated sides, and tube 38 which are substantially similar to the corresponding portions of cover member 16 previously described.

in operation, cover member 40 is adhesively attached to bowling ball 10 by a layer of adhesive 46 so that the two holes are within the area defined by cover member 40. Thereafter, the two holes may be filled in a manner similar to that described in the previous embodiment. Preferably the angular displacement of tubes 22 and 38 with respect to axes of finger holes in the bowling ball is such as to allow them to simultaneously occupy substantially upright positions when attached to the surface of the bowling ball, i.e., be in generally parallel alignment. in this manner, an individual hole or all three holes of a bowling ball may be rapidly and conveniently tilled. No spillage of plugging material is encountered, nor does any void result from entrapment of air.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments, it is to be understood that modifications and adaptations may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, as set forth in the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination: a bowling ball having a generally spherical outer surface; and a pair of cover members, each cover member having a central portion provided with a curved inner surface and a generally continuous outer peripheral, ball-engaging surface surrounding said central portion, there being an aperture through each cover member spaced from said outer peripheral surface thereof, the distance across each cover member between a pair of spaced locations on said outer peripheral surface thereof being greater than the transverse width of the corresponding finger hole and a number of times less than the diameter of the ball, each cover member being positionable on the ball so that the outer peripheral surface of the cover member is releasably attached to said spherical outer surface in surrounding proximal relationship to a respective one of the finger holes, so that when the ball is oriented with the entrances of the finger holes adjacent to the upper extremity of the ball, the inner surfaces of the cover members will be permitted to extend upwardly and away from the spherical outer surface of the ball to form therewith respective, confined spaces communicating with respective finger holes, whereby a flowable material can be directed through respective apertures and retained within said spaces for filling the finger holes and for plugging the same when the material sets to a hardened condition.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein is included a tube rigid to each cover member in surrounding relationship to the aperture and extending outwardly therefrom.

3. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said periphery of each cover member has a curvature conforming substantially to that of said spherical outer surface of the bowling ball, the inner surface being concave and having a curvature greater than that of said outer surface of the bowling ball.

4. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein is provided a layer of adhesive applied to the ball-engaging surface of said outer periphery.

5. A device as set forth in claim l wherein is provided a tube integral with each cover member in spaced relationship to said outer periphery and surrounding the respective aperture, the axis of each tube extending at an acute angle with respect to its attachment location with the cover member.

6. In combination: a bowling ball having a pair of relatively angularly disposed finger holes, and a unitary bowling ball plugging aid, said plugging aid comprising a cover member having a peripheral portion conforming to the curvature of said ball and attachable to said bowling ball over at least one finger hole, a central portion having a radius of curvature less than that of the radius of curvature of the surface of said ball, said central portion including an aperture adjacent said peripheral portion, and a tube communicating with said aperture, and extending outwardly from said central portion at an acute angle with respect thereto, the degree of angularity of said tube being such as to cause it to be in substantially upright, generally parallel alignment with at least one other such tube on a second of said plugging aids when both said plugging aids are positioned over respective finger holes of the bowling ball to enable the finger holes to be plugged simultaneously.

7. The combination of claim 6, wherein said angle is from about l545.

8. The combination of claim 6, wherein said aid is transparent.

9. The combination of claim 6, and further provided with a strippable protective sheet extending across said peripheral portion, said sheet being removably attached to the adhesive on said lip portion. 

1. In combination: a bowling ball having a generally spherical outer surface; and a pair of cover members, each cover member having a central portion provided with a curved inner surface and a generally continuous outer peripheral, ball-engaging surface surrounding said central portion, there being an aperture through each cover member spaced from said outer peripheral surface thereof, the distance across each cover member between a pair of spaced locations on said outer peripheral surface thereof being greater than the transverse width of the corresponding finger hole and a number of times less than the diameter of the ball, each cover member being positionable on the ball so that the outer peripheral surface of the cover member is releasably attached to said spherical outer surface in surrounding proximal relationship to a respective one of the finger holes, so that when the ball is oriented with the entrances of the finger holes adjacent to the upper extremity of the ball, the inner surfaces of the cover members will be permitted to extend upwardly and away from the spherical outer surface of the ball to form therewith respective, confined spaces communicating with respective finger holes, whereby a flowable material can be directed through respective apertures and retained within said spaces for filling the finger holes and for plugging the same when the material sets to a hardened condition.
 2. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein is included a tube rigid to each cover member in surrounding relationship to the aperture and extending outwardly therefrom.
 3. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said periphery of each cover member has a curvature conforming substantially to that of said spherical outer surface of the bowling ball, the inner surface being concave and having a curvature greater than that of said outer surface of the bowling ball.
 4. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein is provided a layer of adhesive applied to the ball-engaging surface of said outer periphery.
 5. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein is provided a tube integral with each cover member in spaced relationship to said outer periphery and surrounding the respective aperture, the axis of each tube extending at an acute angle with respect to its attachment location with the cover member.
 6. In combination: a bowling ball having a pair of relatively angularly disposed finger holes, and a unitary bowling ball plugging aid, said plugging aid comprising a cover member having a peripheral portion conforming to the curvature of said ball and attachable to said bowling ball over at least one finger hole, a central portion having a radius of curvature less than that of the radius of curvature of the surface of said ball, said central portion including an aperture adjacent said peripheral portion, and a tube communicating with said aperture, and extending outwardly from said central portion at an acute angle with respect thereto, the degree of angularity of said tube being such as to cause it to be in substantially upright, generally parallel alignment with at least one other such tube on a second of said plugging aids when both said plugging aids are positioned over respective finger holes of the bowling ball to enable the finger holes to be plugged simultaneously.
 7. The combination of claim 6, wherein said angle is from about 15*-45*.
 8. The combination of claim 6, wherein said aid is transparent.
 9. The combination of claim 6, and further provided with a strippable protective sheet extending across said peripheral portion, said sheet being removably attached to the adhesive on said lip portion. 